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Jose Menendez Mary Louise Kitty Menendez: Who Are They? What Happened To Them?
For the second season of the hit Netflix series Monster, Ryan Murphy will once more dive into the minds of notorious murderers. The spotlight is on Lyle and Erik Menendez, who were found guilty in 1996 of brutally killing their wealthy parents in their residence in Beverly Hills.
The upcoming Monsters season will be titled “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”. When the news regarding the release of Monsters season 2 came out, many people remembered the brothers who killed their parents.
But, there might be some people who wonder what’s the story of these brothers and who were the murdered parents. Here, we’ll explore everything you need to know about the murdered parents and the story behind their death.
Jose Menendez And Mary Louise Kitty Menendez: Who Are They?
Jose Menendez and Mary Louise Kitty Menendez were the parents who were killed by their sons Lyle and Erik Menendez. Kitty was a housewife, whereas Jose was a wealthy businessman who was Cuban-American and built his fortune in the entertainment sector. Lyle and Erik are two of the four children born to Kitty and Jose.
The couple was murdered on August 20, 1989, by their sons Lyle and Eric Menendez due to the rage they had for their parents.
According to reports, Kitty Menendez and Jose Menendez were shot dead brutally by the brothers because Jose sexually and mentally abused them for months. They planned to kill Jose in order to escape from his mental torture and sexual abuse.
Related: Who Are Lyle Menendez And Erik Menendez?MONSTER Menendez Brothers
What Is The Jose And Kitty Menendez Murder Story?
On the evening of August 20, 1989, while the Menendez family was at home watching television, Lyle and Erik entered the room and began firing shotguns at their parents.
Kitty Menendez was wounded in the arm, chest, and face, while Jose Menendez was shot many times in the head and torso. The brothers, Lyle and Erik, made an attempt to organize the crime scene to make it appear as a failed robbery.
The murder made national headlines and horrified the Beverly Hills neighborhood. Lyle and Erik weren’t first thought to be responsible for the murders. But their excessive spending in the months that followed raised red flags.
The brothers embarked on a spending binge, purchasing costly trips, restaurants, and cars. Additionally, they hired a defense team that included well-known attorneys Leslie Abramson and Barry Levin. The trial received extensive media coverage and earned the name ‘trial of the century.’
According to the defense, Lyle and Eric Menendez killed their mother and father out of rage after their father had sexually assaulted them. The prosecution contended that the brothers were driven by greed and had spent months plotting the murders.
Lyle and Erik were found guilty of first-degree murder in 1996 and given a life sentence without the chance of parole. They are presently imprisoned in different state jails across California.
The story of the murder of Jose Menendez and Kitty Menendez in 1989 stands as one of the saddest and most brutal true crime stories of the 1990s.
Monster: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story
Several fictionalized versions of the Menendez brother’s story have already been produced, including the 1994 TV film Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills, and Honor Thy Father and Mother: The True Story of the Menendez Murders.
Both the NBC miniseries “Law and Order: True Crime- The Menendez Murders” and the 2017 Lifetime movie “Menendez: Blood Brothers” focused on them.
Ryan Murphy has adapted the Menendez murder story for the Netflix series Monster’s Season 2, which is expected to be released in 2024.
There haven’t been any other updates on the movie till now. But, according to reports, the plot goes through the lives of Lyle and Eric, the murder, detention, and eventual incarceration.
Also Read: Who Was Jesse McFadden? Is The Sexual Offense Convict Victim Or Suspect?
